Southern Sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis)
Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Listing Status:
Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND
General Information
Sea Otters are about four feet long and weigh an average of 65 pounds for males and 45 pounds for females. They’ve got strong canines and strong molars to tear and crush their food. Their lung capacity is 2.5 times the size of land mammals of the same size. They have good eyesight and use their whiskers to sense vibrations in the water. They’re known for the use of tools when eating. Because they love mollusks, sea otters will use rocks as hammers and anvils to help open the shells. Because they have no blubber, they must eat 25% of their body weight in food to maintain their high metabolism. Grooming is important as it forces air bubbles into their fur that acts as insulation (Friends of the Sea Otter).
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This map represents our best available information about where a species is currently known to or or is believed to occur; however, it should NOT be used as an official species list for Section 7 Consultation purposes. To obtain an official species list for this purpose, please visit the Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) System (click here: http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac)
This species is listed wherever it is found, but
- States/US Territories in which the Southern Sea otter, is known to or is believed to occur: California
- US Counties in which the Southern Sea otter, is known to or is believed to occur: View All
- Countries in which the the Southern Sea otter, is known to occur: Mexico
| Status | Date Listed | Lead Region | Where Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/14/1977 | California/Nevada Region (Region 8) | Entire |
» Action Plans
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 09/27/2009 | Southern sea otter Spotlight Species Action Plan |
» Recovery
Recovery Plan Information Search| Date | Title | Plan Action Status | Plan Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04/03/2003 | Final Revised Recovery Plan for the Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) | View Implementation Progress | Final Revision 1 |
| Date | Citation Page | Title | Document Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/04/2011 | 76 FR 68393 68394 | Termination of the Southern Sea Otter Translocation Program; Revised Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on the Translocation of Southern Sea Otters: Proposed rule; notice of availability and reopening of public comment period | |
| 03/25/2009 | 74 FR 12878 12883 | Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of 58 Species in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah; Availability of Completed 5-Year Reviews in California and Nevada | |
| 04/03/2003 | 68 FR 16305 16306 | Notice of Availability of the Final Revised Recovery Plan for the Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) | |
| 02/08/2000 | 65 FR 6221 6222 | Notice of Availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) for Review and Comment |
» Critical Habitat
No critical habitat rules have been published for the Southern Sea otter, .
» Conservation Plans
No conservation plans have been created for Southern Sea otter,
» Petitions
| Date | Citation Page | Title | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/06/2004 | 69 FR 5861 5863 | 90-day Finding on a Petition to Delist the Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) | |
| 07/13/1984 | 49 FR 28583 28585 | Notice of Finding on 6 Petitions; 49 FR 28583-28585 | |
| 06/14/1983 | 48 FR 27273 27274 | Findings on Certain Petitions; 48 FR 27273-27274 | |
| 02/15/1983 | 48 FR 6752 675 | Findings on Certain Petitions and Reviews of Status for Several Species; 48 FR 6752-6753 |
» Life History
No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.
» Other Resources
NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
